My Ideal Day

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I truly feel alignment is the spice of life. Aligning to my goals, hobbies, dreams, passions, career and community – as much as I can EVERYDAY. Of course there are days where what I want do is “align” to comfort (aka binge watch a series on Netflix!!) But by choosing alignment, I make a conscious decisions when it comes to to re-aligning or readjusting my day to handle priorities or new needs.

I recently did the daily habit score cards as outlined in Atomic Habits. What you need to do is write down every thing you do most days. Things like brush your teeth, drop your kids at school, read on the train, scroll IG while making a coffee, take a walk over lunch, meditate before bed are some of the habits that I would need to record. Even the habits you don’t think are important like snooze the alarm or set the alarm for the next day are recorded in this list of habits. Then I used a +, – or = to denote positive/beneficial habits, negative habits and neutral habits.

What this exercise did was help me visually see and recognize habits that weren’t helping me get to where I see myself in the future or on path to attain certain goals. It’s a helpful way to honestly look at and become more aware of your behaviour.

What it got me thinking about was, what my ideal day would consist of (ie: turn my habits into goals). It made me aware of what activities make me feel energized, bring me joy and what things I want to do to improve my everyday. What I saw was those activities were grouped into the following categories:

Growth (Professional, Personal and Spiritual)
Exercise/Eating healthy foods
Quality Family Time
Being prepared
Doing Work that I enjoy and is a priority for me
Having fun
Getting Enough Rest

So here is a snapshot of what I see as my ideal day:

Wake up (without an alarm!), meditate and journal (optimal journalling practice for me would be either a brain dump/artists way writing, combined with gratitude, goal setting and a to do list). Drink a bottle of water and then get dressed in my workout clothes and spend 15 minutes reading before the rest of the house wakes up. If it’s a Wednesday or a Weekend, I’d probably wear a facemark. When the kids wake up, I’d help them get ready for the day and we all head downstairs. The kids would have breakfast and after dropping them off at school I’d do my outdoor workout (tempo run through a forest, HIIT or heavy weight training). Getting back home, I’d drink water and have a healthy breakfast that I prepped the night before. I’d make tea and refill my water bottle and get to work where I contribute to and add value to peoples life with both a tech and human centric approach. I would schedule meetings for the afternoons because my most productive time is between 9am-2:30pm, I’d want to use that time to work, write, photograph, create, ideate, research, work on projects, strategize or consult. I would break for lunch (to eat something I prepped the night before with lots of veggies/fibre, fish or eggs and a complex carb with more water) and definitely take a leisurely stroll to energize and also digest the meal. I’d spend the remainder of my afternoon drinking more water and either in meetings, training or creating. Before picking up the kids, I would love to have a tea break or coffee chat with a colleague or business partner. After, picking the kids up from school, we’d have an afternoon snack and do homework or get to after school extra curricular activities. Dinner would be prepped or at least planned and we’d eat as a family. Before bed we’d hang out (go for a walk, bike ride or play a game or watch the WNBA game). After the kids are in bed, I’d prep for the next day before taking some me time to either study, stretch/foam roll, shower, netflix or blog. I’d end the date with a peppermint tea with a few pieces of dark chocolate or home-made cookies. Definitely would want to be in bed by 10:30 after brushing/flossing my teeth and taking time to spiritually self reflect.

Wow just writing that out was so relaxing. And of course things may come up where I’d have to adjust my attention to handle a priority but the hope is keeping my day as closely aligned to my main goal categories. Every small step would create a ripple effect towards my goals.

Easy healthy granola – that tastes like a cookie!

Posted on January 22, 2020 by Bhanu Misra Marya

The other day the Mister said that this granola tastes like a cookie, and I couldn’t agree more.

I started making it because I could no longer find my favourite Special K Dark Chocolate Coconut Popped Granola in ANY grocery store.

I used to make a nut granola but really wanted something a little lighter (nuts can get heavy) so opted for a baked oatmeal instead.

This is super simple to make and quick enough that I can make it on a Sunday to use thoughtout the week.

Where is what you do:
1) roughly crush up a half cup of dry roasted almonds

2) measure 1 cup of quick oats, add to crushed almonds and lay flat on a sheet pan. Bake for 10-15 min at 400 degrees. Check often to prevent burning and turn the sheet pan to make sure everything cooks evenly.

3) in a small pot (using the lowest heat) melt 1/3 cup coconut oil, then add pure maple syrup, cinnamon, cacao powder to taste (careful it’s hot!). Add a tablespoon of chia seeds and a pinch of salt. Stir often and combine well. If you want the granola to be chewy, add more coconut oil, maple syrup and cacao.

4) remove the oats and almonds and let cool for 5 min then pour coconut oil mixture on top (it will sizzle). Mix to coat all the oats/almonds.

5) pack the mixture so it can get stuck together and be chunky! (instead of laying it flat on the pan). Put back in the oven for 3-5 min. Check frequently as it can burn easy.

6) remove from oven and let cool before enjoying with yogurt, almond milk or by itself.

Optional add ons: dark chocolate, another nut or seed or dried fruit!

Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments below? Better yet, share your healthy home made granola recipes for me to try!

More like this? Check out this other healthy cookie recipe.

5 Ways to beat the winter blues & a trip to TO Christmas Market

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Bhanu Misra Marya

When the whether dips, it’s not uncommon to feel seasonal depression. With the sun no longer shining as much, the need to bundle up all.the.time and the persistent search of a warm getaway – it’s easy to lose perspective. I am learning to give in a little bit. Enjoy the warm soups, choose sautéed veggies over cold salads and drink as much tea as I want.

Here are a few other ways to enjoy the colder months…

Get cozy: fleece PJs (matching with family members? even better), fuzzy house coat, warm slippers and turning on the fireplace…!

A mug of your favourite warm beverage: Tea, coffee multiple times a day. Better enjoyed with a friend.

Watch all the best movies or series: Ok so it’s true, Friends is leaving Netflix but there are tons of Holiday movies to enjoy this time of year.

A warm cozy bed: I love love love the feeling of getting into bed with clean sheets after a hot shower. Switching to a duvet at this time of year can be wonderful.

Being grateful: Every morning and every night or really any time of day when you feel your mood slip. Take a moment to breath and give thanks.

Another important thing to do in winter? Get out of your house. For a walk around the block, to an seasonal event or a winter activity. Take a little more planning but you really won’t regret it.